Sinusitis is a medical condition that affects the lives of many millions of people around the world. As much as 15 million people each year develop symptoms of sinusitis, which are often annoying and disturbing to a patient from conducting his everyday life. The symptoms of sinusitis usually comprise pain, tenderness, and swelling depending on the affected sinus. Known treatment for sinusitis comprises use of nasal sprays and medication that cause blood vessels to narrow and are aimed to improve sinuses drainage. Other types of sinusitis require the use of antibiotics. However, the known suggested treatments are often not useful. Furthermore, for the medications used often have short-term expediency and most of the medications have undesirable side-effects.
Upper respiratory disorders, such as viral upper respiratory tract infections or “common cold”, allergic rhinitis and rhinosinusitis, are associated with impairment in mucociliary clearance in the nasal passages. Although the causes of these disorders are varied, they share common nasal symptoms, such as rhinorrhea, nasal congestion/blockage, and post-nasal drip. In these conditions, the mucous membranes of the nose and paranasal sinuses become irritated, leading to these symptoms. In some patients, this irritation is sufficient to hinder the normal drainage of the sinuses into the nasal cavity, resulting in blockage that may lead to additional impaired ciliary activity, intense pressure/pain, and increased likelihood of infection.
Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a condition that results from exposure to allergens, either during specific times of the year (seasonal allergic rhinitis) or all the year-round (perennial allergic rhinitis). Up to one-half of AR patients suffer from both seasonal as well as perennial AR, approximately one-third suffer from seasonal AR alone and another one-third from perennial AR alone. In either seasonal or perennial AR, the symptoms and treatment approaches are similar. Symptoms mostly include nasal congestion or stuffiness, rhinorrhea and nasal itching. Allergic rhinitis affects nearly 150 million people. The world's seven major pharmaceutical markets' annual sales of medicaments for treating allergic rhinitis are estimated to total more than $4.5 billion worldwide. The medicaments currently available include primarily prescription and over-the-counter antihistamines, decongestants and nasal corticosteroids, delivered by nasal sprays, evaporation devices, and ointments.
Upper Respiratory Tract Infections (URTI) and the common cold affect all ages and are uncomfortable conditions, associated with lost work and school days.
There is, therefore, a requirement in the art for a simple, safe, relatively cheap, noninvasive treatment which is also devoid of side-effects. There is a further requirement for a treatment modality with a high efficacy and a long-term relief effect on the person suffering from nasal congestion and/or sinusitis symptoms.